Illuminated sign



Dec. 24, 1929. J. HOTCHNER 1,740,736

ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed April 11, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll 3 '7 L il 1m z l5 A IN VEN TOR.

Jbse viz 7763277 A T ORNE Y.

Dec. 24, 1929. J H'QTCHNER 1,740,736

ILLUMINATED S IGN Filed April 1 1, 192v g Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ATTO EY.

Patented @ec. 2-4, 1929 PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH HOTCHNEB, OF'SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA ILLUMINATED SIGN Application filed April 11, 1927. Serial No. 182,660.

I This invention relates to an attachable letter illuminated sign the object of which is to provide a sign which will make use of the minimum light for the maximum use of such a sign as the present one, the common form of tubular electric lamp being used for the sign trough, or well known neon tube being used for that same purpose.

An object of the invention is to provide an electric sign which will make use of comparatively simple forms of lamps or simply short lengths of neon tubes to take the place of the ordinary long forms of such tubes which are very easily broken.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that at the present time it is very common to provide electric signs made of the neon tubes which tubes are bent around to conform with the characters of the letters or numbers, and such signs which require a considerable amount of substituting, whereas with the present sign the tubes are cut into standard convenient lengths and a socket provided for each tube, and only one form of tube is used, that is a straight piece with a suitable connection at each end.

Similarly if the ordinary lamps are used they are made in a given standard length and the tube is supported from the body of the sign in any convenientmanner. I

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a si of this-character of detachable letters, w ich letters may be either of the cut out form, or a-solid blank with the letter cut in the blank, whereby the sign may be changed whenever it is deemed desirable;

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an auxiliary clip to hold the letters in a given position, and to prevent slipping there- Other objects of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion throughout the several figures of the drawings and of which there may be modifications.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the comclip shown in Figure 4.

plete si showingttwo diiierent forms of letters t ereon,

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the sign looking at the back of the sign in perspective,

Fi ure 3 is an edge view of one of the letters owin the clips for securing the letter to the sign body, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the auxiliary clips for holding the letters from being dislodged in a given position where the sign may be used in the vertical form.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the auxiliary Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 show modified forms of the sign body.

In the present instance the sign body consists of a V-shaped trough with the sides 1 and 2, and end pieces 3 and 4. The inside of the sign is painted any desired light color, and it makes no difierence if the sign is a horizontal one, such as the sign illustrated in Figure 1, or whether the trough extends vertically.

In order to stifl'en the edges of the sign they are bent back and toward the inclined portion of the sign body, as indicated at 5 and 6 of Figure 2. The letters may be cut out as indicated by the H and E and 7 and 8, Figure 1, or the letters may be former by cuttin them out of a solid piece ofsheet material, as lndicated at 9 by the F, Figure 1. In the first instance the body of each letter will appear as a dark portion on a light background, whereas in the case of the F the letter will appear light with the outside of the letter as a dark background. In order to secure the letter in place on the sign body each letter has a pair of spring brass, or spring steel plates 10 secured thereto, said plates having hooks 11 at one end, and having the hook 12 at the other end, the hook 12 being so formed as to readily slip over the edge of the sign body at 5.

The sign body may have electric sockets 14 and 15 with a holding bracket at 16 and 17 for the tubular lamp, or for the neon tube. The distance from the sockets, 14 to the holding bracket 17 will depend entirely u' on the desires of the sign maker and upon t e convenience with which he can get lamps or neon tubes of a given length, it may be from one foot to three or four feet as may be desired. When the sign body is used as a' vertical sign it will be noted that the hooks 7 and 12 will tend to slide downwardly toward the inturned sign edges and 6, and this is stopped by reason of the insertion under each of the hooks of one of the spring snaps 20 shown a in Figures 4 and 5. This spring snap has a hook 21 which passes under the edge of the inturned sign body and it has a spring snap 22 at its other end which can readily be forced over the rounded edge of the sign bod adjacent each of the hooks 11 and 12 there y prel\Oent the letters from slipping down the sign It? will be noted that the hook 21 is bent at w an angle to the main part of the snap20, and

it has a wedging action to prevent the clip from slippin when the letter acts against it.

The modi ed forms shown in Fi ure 6 shows the half round body 24. The e ges 25 and 26 are the same as shown in Figures '1 and 2; 27 represents a lamp but may be acate bodies are placed together as shown at 33 and fastened in any suitable way as with rivets 34.

It will be noted that this construction makes 'a' double face sign body only a little wider than the single face sign. Figure 10 shows a form with a flat backto allow for the use of two or more lamps in parallel relation as shown at 36 and 37.

All other features the same as described. Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of t-.e

United States is as follows, but modifications may be made in carrying out the invention as shown in the drawing and in the above particularly described form thereof, within the purview of the annexed claims;

1. An illuminated sign of the cass described,'a sign body comprising a shallow V shaped trough havingflat edges turned back to form a U shaped tubular edge, a plurality of tubular lamps extending along the bottom of the trough, a plurality of letters, means at opposite edges 0 the trough to detachably secure the letters thereto in front of the tubular lamp, and means to hold the letters against longitudinal movement along said trough.

-2. An illuminated sign of the class described comprising a V-shaped trough like sign body having its opposite edges doubled back to stiffen the sign ody, a series of tubular lamps in the bottom of the trough, a series of hooks cut at one edge of the letter to en-, gage the trough edge, and spring snaps at the other edge.

3. An illuminated sign of the class described comprising a V-shaped trough like body having its opposite edges turned over back to stiffen the body, letters having hooks adapted to engage said edges, and an auxiliary clip adapted to snap over said edge under one or more of said letters to prevent sliping of said letters, said clip having a main body and a hook at each end, said hooks being at an angle to each other.

n testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th da of March, A. D. 1928.

' J OS PH HOTCHNER. 

